


Grabbing the Darcy by the Horns

by Zelda2h2



Series: Five Clicks Out [5]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bucky doesn't know how to express himself, F/M, Implied future Sam/Steve, WinterShock - Freeform, implied smut at the end, kind of, nothing too racy, the one where they talk about their feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-21
Updated: 2015-11-21
Packaged: 2018-05-02 17:08:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5256614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zelda2h2/pseuds/Zelda2h2
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam shook his head and turned to face Bucky. "Look. Darcy's a no-bullshit type of girl, and that's what you like about her."</p><p>"Right?"</p><p>"So why does this whole thing smell like a matador after a bull fight?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Grabbing the Darcy by the Horns

**Author's Note:**

> Some of you were asking what Bucky lost when he was kidnapped in our last installment. Let's find out, shall we?

Darcy came into her office Monday morning humming We're Off to See the Wizard when she was hit smack in the face with a strong fragrance that vaguely smelled of her grandmothers living room. 

Fresh red roses in a crystal vase sat on her desk- well over a dozen of them, with a silver ribbon tied around the vase. Darcy looked for a notecard and smiled when she read the tight script. 

'Darcy, these are from Bucky. Don't let him tell you otherwise. Looks like he's forgotten how to use his words, among other things, and didn't write you a note. So I guess I will. Don't wait too long. -Steve'

Why would Bucky be sending her flowers? "Hey, FRIDAY?" She called up to the AI. "Any info on this weird ass business here?"

"I have a conversation between Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes recorded from two night ago, boss."

"Be a dear and pull it up for me?"

The screen on her desk lit up, showing herself asleep on the couch in the common room and Bucky sitting with her head in his lap. He was smiling down at her and playing with her hair when he looked up suddenly. Darcy could see him tense before listening a moment longer and relaxing. "Hey punk."

"I'm sorry about today. I should've reacted better-" Steve said across the room, but silenced when Bucky but a finger to his lips and pointed at Darcy. "Oh. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it Steve. I coulda been better too. Guess we're both fuck-ups." Bucky turned his head back to her sleeping self. "I went to town to get her flowers today. I didn't want anyone to find out, even her."

"Why were you gonna get her flowers?"

"I can remember a bit about dames- they like flowers. Worst comes to worst, I don't put my name on the card and she doesn't get mad at me."

He looked up and saw Steve smiling at him. "I don't think I ever saw you buy anyone you weren't screwing flowers. You two aren't-"

"No. I wouldn't do that- what I used to. Not to her." Bucky frowned, but his expression softened when he looked down at Darcy. "I should get her to bed- this ain't a comfy couch'ta wake up on."

The screen paused when Darcy touched it. Did he always look at her like that? Like someone out of a Nicholas Sparks movie?

"Thanks FRIDAY- hey, do you think you could give Sergeant Barnes a call for me?" 

"He's currently en-route to Transylvania with Master Sergeant Wilson. Would you still like me to make the call?"

"Minor emergency. Make sure you tell him that."

Darcy didn't have to wait long for her call to get picked up. 

"Darcy- Doll are you hurt? What's wrong?"

"There seems to be a foreign substance on my desk." She hummed. "It would appear to be flowers. Do you know who they could be from?"

There wasn't even a pause before he answered. "Looks like you've got an admirer, Doll."

She could hear the satisfaction in his voice. Darcy rustled through the blossoms, knowing that he could hear her, and giggled. "Aw, look! There's a little note."

"What- um, what does it say?"

"'Roses are Red, Violets are Blue. I love big tits, so of course I love you! Signed, Carl.' Oh I know him, he works in medical. Sweet guy, I'll have to go thank him-"

"You've gotta be kidding me doll." Bucky's voice sounded like he was restraining himself from hitting something. "That sounds like a total sleazeball wrote it- and how do you know he's the one that even sent 'em? He coulda just seen 'em an' stuck a note in there-"

"Did you know your accent gets thicker when you're worked up?" Darcy laughed. "Good thing I made up Carl, since he's such a sleazeball. The real note says..." She read off the note from Steve and that time the silence was extremely pregnant. Almost two full trimesters passed before Bucky spoke again. 

"That fuckin' mook."

"How romantic- please, talk dirty to me like that some more." Darcy said in a monotone. 

"Whaddaya want me ta say? Stevie thinks we should get tagether. Guess he thinks he's bein' clever I dunno."

She felt a tightness in her chest, and Darcy started to get angry. "You know something? I love that you sent me flowers. Trying to do it anonymously is cute but when I'm calling you out on it the least you could do is be fucking honest with me."

"Doll, I-"

"No you know what? Fuck you. To think I almost- fuck you James Barnes. FRIDAY end call."

"Darcy, Doll please lemme-"

"Call ended. Sergeant Barnes is attempting a video transmission. Would you like me to put you through?" 

"No. I don't- just gimme a minute, okay?" Darcy wasn't crying, but she felt worse than when she did. Her throat was closing and her palms started to sweat. She sat at her desk and checked her makeup before finally accepting the video call. "How can I help you, Sergeant Barnes?"

"Don't pull that bullshit with me Darcy." She could see that he was sitting in one of the transport planes, Sam at the helm probably pretending not to listen. "Look I'm sorry I didn't tell you it was me. I just didn't want you'da feel weird. You've never really made eyes at me-"

"You're a fucking idiot."

He blinked at her, looking very confused. "Probably. Wha'd I do?"

"I wanted to ask you out a hella long time ago. But with everything you have going on, I didn't think it would be good for you. So I waited." She was smiling, but inhaled a shaky breath. "So... thanks for the flowers and the feelings I really didn't need first thing in the morning. Have a nice mission and we'll talk when you get back."

"Wait-"

Darcy ended the transmission and for a moment she saw Bucky's panicked face before swiping the screen away and shaking her head. "Lemme tell ya, FRIDAY. I don't know what a mook is, but he's a big one."

\---

"Darcy, come on pick up it's been four days." Bucky left yet another message on her voicemail. He was flying back with Sam- Victor Von Doom in their cargo hold for attempting a takeover of Eastern Europe. 

"You almost done?" Sam sighed, switching on the autopilot. "I don't think I can take another desperate voicemail you hack into and delete before she can hear it."

"You got a better idea?"

"Do what the girl said and talk to her when we get back." Sam shook his head and turned to face Bucky. "Look. Darcy's a no-bullshit type of girl, and that's what you like about her."

"Right?"

"So why does this whole thing smell like a matador after a bullfight?"

Bucky looked down at his hands and sighed. "She deserves someone whole- you wouldn't understand."

"Like hell I wouldn't." Sam sighed. "I know what it's like to feel broken. To feel like nobody loves you, like you're unable to be loved."

"The things that I've /done/ though. What I've lost-"

"I've lost things too, we all have. But trust me; nothing gets better when you just sit there and accept that as your fate." He reached over and put his hand on Bucky's shoulder. "If you're gonna smell like bull shit, it'd better be because you grabbed that bastard by the horns."

"Did Steve put you up to this?"

"Please; he thought it'd be better if he locked the two of you in a room and hoped for the best."

"Still not that smooth, is he?"

"He has his moments." Sam smiled softly. 

"Wanna open that can of worms?" Bucky chuckled. 

"Nope. Him and I are happy with the back and forth act for now. Makes morning workouts more interesting."

"I hear sex does that too."

"Well why don't you find out how well it works for you and get back to me." Sam turned his attention back to the controls, just as they hit a patch of turbulence. "Looks like there's a storm back home."

"Thor must be back in town."

"YOU DARE TO JOSTLE THE POWERFUL DOOM?" An angry voice from the cargo hold shouted. 

"Should I tell him we dare?" Sam chuckled, fastening his seatbelt. 

Bucky nodded, fastening his own and holding on to his armrests as Sam did a barrel roll through the darkening clouds. Doom's shriek was completely worth the nausea it gave Bucky. 

\-----

Darcy heard the announcement that Sam and Bucky had returned, and had been prepping all day since FRIDAY told her their ETA. 

Outside thunder rolled and lighting hit the earth in long veins. Darcy sat in front of her bathroom mirror and dabbed on a fresh coat of lipstick. She had gone shopping earlier and was wearing a very dramatic long and red silk nightgown, with black lace running along the hem and the neckline. Her hair was still done and her makeup looked just a bit too worn to be fresh. 

She looked hot and planned to show Bucky just what he was missing out on because there was no way he could be all secretive with his feelings to her unrequited love and still have her come running to him like a lap dog. The Lewis women had more respect for themselves than that. 

Darcy sat on her bed and waited. And waited. She waited a good half hour after the plane had landed before sighing heavily and deciding to call it a night. She'd scared him off, and she didn't know how she felt about that-

A soft tapping sound came from her window. And there weren't any trees close enough... Darcy pulled back the blinds and saw Bucky crouching on her windowsill dripping wet. 

"Holy crap, Bucky!" She hurried to unlock and open the window to let him inside. "Hold on, let me grab you a towel-"

"Darcy." He was staring at her, and she saw his eyes travel up her body slowly, and he possibly even licked his lips. No, that was definitely a lick.

"Hon you're gonna catch a cold-"

He was in front of her in three steps, cautiously pinching her chin between his human fingers. Darcy looked up and all of her anger for his kept secrets was gone for the moment. 

"You're dripping on my floor." She whispered, not even daring to blink and loose that wonderful eye contact she'd spent so long trying to achieve. 

Bucky was quiet, but not in his usual mildly creepy way. He was studying her, looking for something. Whether he found it or not, he leaned in and cautiously brushed his lips against hers before jerking away quickly. 

Darcy frowned, grabbing his shoulder when he started to push past her. "Hey now; don't think I'm letting you off easy! I had a /plan/ god dammit."

"God I can't- not with you... Looking like that." Bucky choked but didn't pull away from her. 

"Can't what? Look at me when I'm all done up? Would you rather holy sweatpants?"

"No it's not-" he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "I can't. I'm sorry I just can't."

\---

Inside his head, it felt like his current self and his old self- not the old self he was proud of either- were at a heated battle. 

Darcy came up beside him and put her hand on his arm. "Bucky, talk to me. Don't shut me out anymore."

Part of him- the part that relied on those animalistic urges for survival- were screaming at him to take her finally. The Witch had told him about giving into those desires- they had been a part of him for so long of course they wouldn't vanish over time. 

But this was Darcy. The other part of his mind knew that and knew that he didn't want to hurt her in any way. It would be wrong in so many ways to just use her like that-

"What do you want me to do?" She whispered. "What do you want?"

"You." Bucky chuckled humourlessly. "It's... Extremely hard to concentrate with you like that."

"I'm sorry lemme get this straight. You want me? In the possession sense or in the fun adult times sense?" Her hand slipped down his arm to lock her fingers with his. "Because right now I really wouldn't mind the fun adult sense."

Within an instant that hand was above her head as he pinned her to the bedroom door. Already Bucky was panting, eyes dark. "I wasn't gonna do this. Was gonna take you'ta dinner first-"

"I thought you /couldn't/-" Darcy thrust her chin up and stared him down like she knew just how to make his insides turn to jelly. 

"I /shouldn't/. God doll I just don't wanna hurt you."

"Physically or emotionally?"

"Which do you think?" He shifted his metal arm, which had been laying at his side for a while. "I could kill you and not even know about it till it was too late."

Darcy used her free hand to run her thumb along his stubbled jaw. "You won't honey. You're not so tough- I can handle you."

"You think?" Bucky smirked. That was a challenge, and he did love challenges. Darcy looked up with innocent eyes before rolling her hips up against his. 

"I know."


End file.
